Monday, 8 June 2015

The summer after high school, Eli Dunn and Jess Early explore an abandoned brothel in the rural Florida Panhandle. They’ve always kept their mutual attraction unspoken, but in an upstairs room at the end of the hall, everything changes. Suddenly, all the longing Eli and Jess have tried so hard to conceal bursts free, and passion like they’ve never experienced comes to light, along with the ghosts of Clay Bailey and Silas Denton, murdered owners of the brothel. And Clay and Silas have no problem possessing Eli and Jess in order to express their love for each other, without thought for the living.

Deeply disturbed by the experience, Eli and Jess part and try to get on with life as best they can. But after several years, Eli returns to Florida, only to find that Jess has made some questionable choices. These eventually lead him back to the abandoned house and a confrontation with Eli. Old scores are settled and Eli and Jess reunite. But Clay and Silas’s ghosts aren’t finished yet, for they’ve always believed in the power of open and honest love.

He took a circuitous route to the Earlys’ so he wouldn’t get there twenty minutes before the time Jess had given him. The shirt was one thing, but he didn’t want to look too desperate. Besides that, he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the conversation with Doreen, and making small talk with her alone seemed like kind of a nightmare. He couldn’t even imagine what he’d say if she asked him about Jess’s wedding.

Doreen answered the door and told him to come on in. “Jess is upstairs changing his shirt,” she said, and he almost laughed. “I guess you’re company now,” she said. “But I’m sure it’ll be no time before you’re just family again.”

Eli blinked at her, wondering if Jess had already told her, but then she added, “I bet pretty soon you’ll meet someone nice, and we can have big family barbecues in the backyard.”

Eli smiled wanly at her and sipped at the beer she’d handed him. He noticed she hadn’t said, “a nice girl,” and thought maybe she’d done that intentionally. He really hoped Jess would come down soon.

“Petey and Mike around?” Eli asked, looking around. He hadn't seen Jess's little brothers since before he'd left, and wasn't sure he'd even recognize them now. They'd be in high school, but he'd only known them as little kids.

“Nope, they're a couple doors down at a friend's house. I kicked them out when I heard you were coming over, Eli. I wanted to make sure we could really talk.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Jess came downstairs.. He stopped short in the doorway, staring at Eli for a second.

“It’s just meatloaf,” she said. “If you’d given me more warning, I would have shopped.”

“You never have to shop for me. I love your meatloaf anyway,” Eli assured her.

“I’ll go check. It should be almost ready.”

She got up and left the room, and Jess came over to take her place on the couch. “Jesus Christ, man,” Eli muttered, “I can’t believe you left me down here with her for so long. It was awkward as hell.” He gave Jess an appraising look and added, “But I really do like the shirt. Did you buy it just for me?”

Jess’s cheeks turned slightly pink, and he said, “No,” in a suspiciously defensive voice, and then “Yeah. Okay, I did.”

Eli couldn’t help the huge smile that spread across his face, and he leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. Jess laughed and pushed him away, then grabbed Eli around the neck and kissed him for real. About two seconds into it, Eli heard a small gasp from the entrance to the living room, and they pulled apart quickly. Doreen was standing stock-still, holding two bottles of beer, her eyes wide with shock.

“Shit,” Jess breathed. “Mama—”

She shook her head and closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them, she said very quietly, “Elijah, would you mind excusing us for just a minute? Here,” she said, walking over to hand him one of the beers, “why don’t you take this out on the porch?”

“Okay,” he replied meekly. “I’m sorry you had to—”

“Just a few minutes,” she said. Eli nodded and went out front. He sat on the steps and waited, feeling helpless. He’d promised to be there for Jess when he did this, and now he’d screwed it up. This wasn’t at all the way it should have gone.

It was more than the few minutes she’d promised before the door opened again. Jess poked his head out and said, “Come on. She wants to talk to you now.”

Eli stood, and he felt a little light-headed from the two beers and the adrenaline that had flooded his body when he’d seen Doreen standing there. Jess’s eyes were a little red, but he had a small smile on his face.

“I’m sorry, that was my fault,” Eli said, but Jess just shook his head and held the door open.

Doreen was sitting on the sofa, her eyes also a little red, but she had her arms held out to him. He sat down next to her and let her fold him into a soft hug. “I’m sorry,” he said, for what felt like the hundredth time, his voice muffled because she was pressing his face into her shoulder. She patted his back and shushed him. When she released him after about a minute, everyone in the room was swiping at their eyes and sniffling.

“That meatloaf is going to be dry as a bone if I don’t take it out right quick,” she said. “Let’s go eat, and you boys can tell me what your plans are now. If you have any, that is.” She looked at Eli and said, “You know you were already like another son to me. I know you got your own parents who love you, but you always have me too, even if you and Jess aren’t always together. I’m not upset by this, but I will be if it messes that up.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Eli said. “I promise it won’t.”

After dinner—during which they had to admit that they had no idea what their plans were—she said she was sure they had plenty to talk about, and went upstairs to take a bath.

“You okay?” Eli asked when she’d gone.

Jess looked at him silently for a moment and then nodded. “I love you,” he said.

“You don’t have to say that, you know.”

Jess huffed and rolled his eyes. “That’s not really the response I was hoping for, asshole.”

“Oh.” Eli smiled, stood up and held out his hand. Jess took it in both of his, then stood up too and let himself be pulled in. “I love you too? Was that okay?”

“God, shut up,” Jess said and kissed him softly, draping his arms over Eli’s shoulders. “Want to take another drive?”

“I do, as a matter of fact. There are some people who want to talk to you.”

Meet The Author

About Keelan Ellis:

Keelan Ellis is a true crime enthusiast, a political junkie, and a comedy fan. Despite a compulsion to sometimes wallow in the depths of humanity’s corruption and sadness, she considers herself a romantic at heart. The stories she really connects with are about love that’s been twisted into hatred, and she believes that with honesty and forgiveness, love can overcome. Keelan loves good bourbon and classic country music, great television and well-prepared food, especially shared with like-minded people. She’s not a fan of parties and large groups of people, but there’s nothing she loves more than a long conversation with friends. Her favorite part of the writing process is the collaborative stage, hashing out plot and characters with smart and talented friends. It’s where she truly comes to understand the people she’s writing about, and often falls in love with them. With the support and encouragement--as well as some serious editing help--Keelan has found the writing niche she’s always searched for.